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How to get from the Airport (Charles de Gaul) to Marais

I am traveling to Paris with my 17 year old daughter. Neither of us speak French. We are looking for the best options to get from the Airport to the Marais District. We both will be hauling a large suitcase (on wheels) and a carry on bag, purse, camera, etc. We are staying at Caron de Beaumarchais on 12, Rue Vieille du Temple. Hoping to avoid the taxi service as I have researched and it seems quite pricey. Also, I don't want to be dropped off far from the hotel and have to manage the streets with so much luggage. We are gals…we will have the luggage so don't bother telling us to pack light.

Well if you want all that luggage and don't want to wander through the streets with it I think a taxi is really your bet choice. Some hotel will provide you with a private shuttle - but typically this costs more than a taxi.

As with many other things in life, you have convenient, fast and economical - pick any two. (There is option with all 3.)

You have every right to bring as much luggage as you want - just need to expect to either pay more or have more hassles dealign with it.

We solve this by taking what luggage we want and paying the cost for cabs to and fro airports and train stations (for Intercity trains).

Rather than give you a speech about luggage and an option that you prefer to avoid, here are the realistic options:

The least expensive method involves stairs and then walking from a subway station to your hotel -- in your case, I would avoid this.

The best method for you is to take the Roissybus from your arrival terminal to central Paris. The bus makes only one stop in Paris, at Place de l'Opera - this will cost 11€ each. Then take a taxi (there's a taxi stand very close to the bus stop) to your hotel for about another 8-10€. It will help a lot if you have the address of the hotel written down for the driver.

Next-least expensive is to take the Air France bus ("Les Cars Air France") from your arrival terminal to the Gare de Lyon (a train station), then a taxi to the hotel. The Air France bus is more comfortable than the Roissybus, but also costs more -- 32.50€ for the two of you, plus another 8-10€ for the taxi. The Air France bus isn't much of a saving over a taxi directly from the airport (around 60€).

Take a taxi from the official taxi queue. It´s 50€, door to door. Have the address written on a piece of paper to hand to the driver. Do not accept offers from clandestine drivers soliciting from within the terminals.

I thought I remembered seeing something about Paris setting flat fares to the Left and Right Bank for taxis from CDG in the last few months. As I recall, the Right Bank was 50 euro and the left was like 60 euro? I can't seem to find anything about it, but my boolean search logic for Fodor's never seems to generate an appropriate hit.

That's good news as I have always paid more than 55 euro the last few years from the LEft Bank. This was decided in 2014, if I recall, just took a while to start.

My understanding from reading various press is that it isn't really a fixed fare but a maximum cap on the fare, that fares are about 20 euro lower to go to Orly, and that the fare does NOT include the fare on the meter for the taxi to get to you from where it started, or the minimum fee on the meter (prise en charge) to start, which I think is now set at 7 euro if you order in advance. And there is still a fee for more than four people (4 euro), but that extra fees for luggage have been abolished.

If you have rolling bags or very light ones take the RER direct from Roissy airport to Chatlelet-Les Halles station and from there the Marais is a short walk down the Rue Rosiers - well short means different things to many but if you can walk a bit without problems that could be a possibility, avoiding the crowded metros with stairs, etc.

The airport taxi fares have been in the newspapers but I do not have a paid online subscription to obtain current links to the articles.

Basically what I remember is that the fares are fixed to/from Paris and the airports beginning March 1. Approach fees will be eliminated, there will be no baggage fees, and the 3€ fee for additional passengers changes from starting with the 4th passenger to now starting with the 5th and each subsequent passenger.

Taxi Bleu has an app that, if you use it, will guarantee right now that you pay no more than 55€ between Paris and CDG.

I think someone summed it best .. fast OR easiest OR cheapest.. can't get all three ..

I personally would take a taxi from airport with all that luggage ( sorry.. I am a girl. and so is my daughter. .and we managed with half that for 3 weeks).. because it WOULD be an easy walk if you did as PalenQ suggested.. and its what I would do myself.. because it would be the cheapest option.

Thank you so much everyone. So helpful~ I love Fodor's Forum!….and NYtraveler….don't be crabby about my luggage. A girl who is going to be in Europe for over 2 weeks needs the comfort of many outfits and shoes.

<<A girl who is going to be in Europe for over 2 weeks needs the comfort of many outfits and shoes.>>

That may be one of the silliest things I've ever read. Parisian girls and women manage to look absolutely gorgeous most of the time, or at least comfortable and fashionable, with about 6 outfits in their entire closets.

It's really none of my business, and I don't care whether you bring four stagecoaches, 3 ladies in waiting, and 50 steamer trunks, but "a girl who's going to be in Europe for 2 weeks" needs more than anything to be able to get around quickly and efficiently and comfortably to take in the grandeur of the city. Not a single Parisian or tourist is going to care whether she's wearing sackcloth and sheepskin boots or the latest fashions. Lots of clothing/outfits isn't a "comfort" in my book - being awed by the beauty of Paris is a comfort.

To get back to the original question - take a taxi to the hotel. With your luggage limitations, it's the only option other than a private driver, which will of course be more expensive.

Andredee.. let me give you one very important piece of advice. . you MUST bring comfortable shoes. Bring your heels etc if you wish for going out to dinner.. but do not ruin your vacation with blisters and fallen arches, the side walks are often uneven.. there are paving stones.. its not cool to hobble along in pain.. really, trust me on this, if nothing else ( like all the very wise tips about not being a pack horse to your luggage).. the shoes can make or break your holiday.

Not sure why you think you need all that luggage/clothes...but it's your trip, and you want to have what you think you need. (My wife and I each take one carry-on and purse-size shoulder bag for trips in the 10 to 12 days length.)

In that case, however, you've pretty much locked yourself into a taxi as your easiest option. 50€ actually is pretty reasonable for the door-to-door convenience...but there may be a small extra charge for extra baggage.

As previously said, write down your address and hand it to the driver.

...but I really recommend that your learn a little "getting-by" French. That, and remembering to be polite (Bonjour, merci, sil vous plait, etc.), will go a long way toward making your trip more enjoyable.

Despite some of the comments above there are plenty of poorly dressed French people in Paris, and plenty of poorly dressed tourists too. Clearly you know best what you prefer to have on your holiday>

When I went to France the first time I was shocked to see how plainly dressed most were - especially women whose dresses seemed homemade. One of the biggest myths around IMO - that France is a country of fashion - it is but only in making fashions that most locals cannot afford to buy.

>>A girl who is going to be in Europe for over 2 weeks needs the comfort of many outfits and shoes.<<

I am a girl, I wear a different outfit every day, I travel for 5 days, 2 weeks, or two months . . . with just a 21 inch bag and a large-ish handbag.

Unless you can afford handlers/people/staff (and it doesn't appear you can) . . . you will be much happier not schlepping a boat load of 'stuff'. ESPECIALLY if you are traveling to other places on trains and/or budget airlines.

No reason to take huge luggage - but if you do, practice at home by filling it, drag it 2 or 3 blocks, drag it back home and lift it (still full) to the top shelf in your closet, get it back down again and walk another block.

I have stayed in the Marais and you have some options. Get the RER at CDG and get off at Gare NORD and get a cab; get a cab at CDG (expensive, no transfer) and cheaply (which is my usual option) I take the RER to Gare Nord, get on the metro to St. Paul and go up the elevator. Last time, I was two minutes from the station. I had a 21" case with a medium tote so it was easy.
The RER station at CDG is on the lower level of terminal 2 and the helpful ticket office where various languages are spoken and they can assist you in buying an RER ticket.